The instant invention relates to the jewelry art and more particularly to a tamper proof device which is operative for indicating that a pierced earring and its respective clutch have been previously used.
While display cards are an effective way for displaying pierced earrings, it has been found that customers often disassemble the earrings and their respective clutches in order to try the earrings on before purchase. It has also been found that customers often purchase pierced earrings, take them home and wear them once or twice, and then return them for a refund or exchange. Retail earring vendors have always attempted to deter customers from returning earrings that have been worn for the obvious reasons that the vendors lose money on such returned merchandise. In addition, the earring vendors are also extremely cautious of earrings that have been tried on or returned because many persons who wear earrings develop infections around the pierced holes in their ears, often causing blood and other bodily fluids to be received onto the post and clutch of the earring. It has thus become increasingly important to earring retailers to prevent persons from trying on earrings and to prevent the return of earrings after they have been worn. However, there have heretofore been no effective means for determining if an earring has been tried on or worn.
The instant invention provides a tamper proof device which, when assembled with a pierced earring and clutch, effectively indicates to a merchant selling the earring if the earring and clutch have subsequently been tampered with or disassembled. The tamper proof device of the subject invention comprises an outer ring portion, an inner disc portion having a tapered central aperture, and a plurality of break-away gates which extend radially outwardly from the disc portion and merge with the ring portion. The clutch is received within the ring portion wherein it is held in position by a plurality of inwardly extending protuberances, and the earring post is received through the tapered aperture and into the clutch in a conventional manner. The tapered aperture in the disc portion is engageable with a groove in the earring post so that the earring post and the clutch cannot be pulled apart without breaking the disc portion away from the ring portion.
Accordingly, it is an object of the instant invention to provide a tamper proof device which, when assembled with a pierced earring and clutch, will indicate if the pierced earring and clutch have been subsequently disassembled.
It is yet another object to provide a tamper proof device which will indicate if a pierced earring has been tampered with or disassembled.
It is still another object to provide a tamper proof device for pierced earring which is compact in size, easy to manufacture, inexpensive and easy to assemble with the pierced earring.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.